Bill Rawson, the president of the Institute of Estate Agents of SA (IEASA), claims in Business Report, August 11, the competition authorities are guilty of "inconsistent treatment" in dealing with the SA Property Owners' Association and IEASA and there has been "a lack of a satisfactory explanation by the tribunal", from Lerato Motaung, Registrar, Competition tribunal.
Mr Rawson's allegations are incorrect. The competition commission, not the tribunal, is responsible for negotiating consent orders. The commission found IEASA was in breach of the Competition Act.
IEASA agreed to pay a penalty and to refrain from certain anti-competitive conduct. This agreement is the consent order between the commission and IEASA, which the tribunal confirmed.
Besides the fact that the tribunal has not been approached by IEASA to provide a satisfactory explanation, it does not have the authority to negotiate agreements or to explain the commission's consent order agreements.